By Junex Doronio

APPARENTLY TRYING TO WIDEN MORE the wedge between the camps of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr and the Duterte political dynasty, lawyer Neri Colmenares has assailed former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for allegedly threatening the Makabayan bloc in Congress after the House of Representatives led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez stripped the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) totaling to P650-million for 2024.

Colmenares, chairman of Bayan Muna party-list which lost in 2022 polls, said that former President Duterte is “afraid of the Marcoses and only brave when the enemy is poor.”

“It was the House leadership who decided to cut his daughter’s confidential funds. So why only threaten Makabayan? Takot siyang bumangga sa mga Marcos? Matapang lang si Duterte pag mahirap ang kalaban nya,” Colmenares fumed.

Members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives have been hammering on the P125 million confidential funds utilized by the OVP in the last 11 days of 2022.

“Gusto ni (former President) Duterte siya lang ang may karapatan bumira pero pag siya na naki-criticize nagagalit siya,” Colmenares said. “To threaten those who criticize wanton spending of public funds in 11 days is vintage Duterte who is intolerant of dissent and criticism.”

He called on Romualdez to defend the House members, whatever their political leaning.

“We urge the House leadership to take action and defend its members and the House of Representatives itself from this attack by the Duterte camp,” Colmenares said.

He stressed that the older Duterte, being a former president, has no more immunity against lawsuits and should be held liable for grave threats after threatening on national television ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and other Makabayan bloc members.

Some political analysts told Maharlika NuMedia that there will be likely a three-cornered president slugfest in 2028, with the UniTeam breaking up.

They predicted that VP Sara Duterte would be squaring off with fellow administration stalwart Speaker Martin Romualdez and with Senator Risa Hontiveros as the probable standard bearer of the “center-moderate left” coalition. (ai/mnm)